South of Wyoming's snowcapped Wind River Range, part of the Rocky Mountains, the cool, rugged terrain of grasslands and mountain lakes gives way to desert, specifically the Red Desert. It's here that you'll find the second largest active sand dune in the world: Killpecker Sand Dunes. This is a roughly 109,000-acre wilderness study area that stretches 55 miles from the Green River Basin across the Continental Divide to the Great Divide Basin, where scientists monitor dune movement and study how they stabilize. It's also a haven for sand surfers, which is why I'm here.
I've never surfed. Not in the traditional sense. But the idea of gliding on soft sand and no worries about sharks or sharp rocks sounds appealing to me. This is 11,000 acres designed for “open play,” where beginners and advanced surfers can ride, sled, and UTV enthusiasts on the sand, racing through dunes that reach 100 feet in height. I arrived in the early afternoon, and the sun was just above the dunes, shining down on them like a torch. The sand is hot to the touch, so you have to keep your socks and shoes on to avoid getting sunburned. It's probably not the most ideal time to be here, but an early morning adventure elsewhere in the region delayed my arrival at Killpecker, so I might as well slather on sunscreen, hydrate, and enjoy the conditions.
I walked through the sand and slowly climbed the dunes looking for a good spot. I always forget how hard it is to walk on sand, and my five-day-a-week training suddenly meant nothing as I panted my way up the dunes. I tried to find a nice, quiet place to base myself, which was pretty easy today, since there weren't many people around and I could see nothing but sand dunes for miles. I heard a low rumble in the distance and saw a UTV with a roll cage climbing up a steep dune. A flag was flying high behind it to warn others. I decided a flat spot away from the UTV and close to the slope would be a good place to start.
First, I put up a tall orange flag on the sand in my area so others can see me and avoid my place. It's always a good idea to bring a flag or a bright cone. I put my board on the sand with my wax pack and start waxing my sandboard. I don't actually know how to wax a sandboard, but I saw a TikTok video where some women put wax diagonally across their surfboards, so I tried to do that. I later found out that a simple zigzag pattern on the bottom of the sandboard works, and then a zigzag pattern in the opposite direction at the end, and then a quick drag through the sand to polish the bottom before riding. I wasn't too far wrong, so that's a success for me.
I place my waxed board on the sand and strap my feet in. Some boards allow you to keep your shoes on while sand surfing, but the foot straps on my board are tight, so I take my shoes off and keep socks on to protect my feet. With my feet strapped in, I make my way from flat ground to a gentle slope. I rock my board back and forth to get to the slope and lean forward to gain momentum. But nothing happens. Time seems to stop, leaning forward in a surfing position, as if waiting for someone to take my picture. I need a steeper slope, so I jump a few times on the sand to get to the steep spot, lean forward again to gain momentum, the tip of the board pointing down. Again, I'm not getting anywhere, so I jump, trying to get the board off the flat sand and onto the slope. It's a rocking, leaning, jumping battle for a while. At this point, I look more like a dancer than a sand surfer.
Eventually, I find a slope that lets me leave the flat surface and slowly slide across the sand. As the board starts to slide on its own, I bend my knees more and put a little more weight on my back foot. My main goal is to stay afloat, which is the last thing I want at 33 years old, afraid of breaking a leg or arm. I spread my arms out at my sides and slide down the dune, mimicking the movements of an ocean surfer. I go slowly, but for the moment, I feel like I'm flying. (Video footage later proves that I'm not.) After about 20 feet, the board stops in the sand and I stand up to give my quads a little rest. I don't fall, but I haven't gotten very far either. So I set off again, clambering up the dune to get a good angle, buckling up, and wobbling my way down the dune again and again.
The hardest part is walking up the dunes after each surf. I take a break on a flat stretch of sand to rehydrate and admire the views around me. Nearby, another sand surfer appears from a ledge, preparing to launch himself up a steep dune. I move closer to check on him. His hair is messy and he's covered in sand, but he says he's OK. Eventually, I figured out how to adopt different angles while surfing, by simply applying pressure to my toes or heels, depending on which direction I want to go. I also found that if I needed to stop, it was easier to pitch my board forward and fall on my bottom than to fall forward or backward with the board pointing down.
After a few hours baking in the sun, I decided to call it a day. With sand caked all over my body, I stumbled back to my truck, dragging my board and flag across the sand. My shoes were covered in sand and I felt 100 times heavier after surfing. I walked back to the car, dropped my board in the sand and flopped down on a camp chair to rest. I was exhausted and realized that sand surfing, while not as shocking as water surfing, was still tough. I looked back towards the dunes and saw other people trying their hand at sand surfing. Some had selfie sticks in front of them to record their attempts. Others were using sand sleds to speed down the dunes. I was a little disappointed that I wasn't going as fast as I'd hoped and could race through the sand, but I could see other beginners tumbling down the small slopes at turtle speed, just like me, cheering each other on. I looked out over the horizon at the desert and smiled, thinking how strange it was that my first time surfing was in Wyoming and not in Hawaii, Australia or some far away island.
Things to know before you go:
- Sandboards can be purchased at the Explore Rock Springs & Green River Visitor Center (1641 Elk Street) in Rock Springs, Wyoming, about 30 miles south of Killpecker Sand Dunes. Your purchase includes a board (or sand sled), board wax and a safety flag. You can also rent boards from Rockin Rollin Rentals & Sales.
- Killpecker Sand Dunes' open play area is ADA compliant, admission is free, and it also features public restrooms and fire pits.
- Mobile phone reception is very limited in the area, so make sure you have plenty of water, a four-wheel drive vehicle with high clearance and wide tires (including a spare), and someone to travel with. If you're traveling alone, let someone know where you're going and when you plan to return.
- Beginners should wear a helmet and wear elbow and knee pads.
- If you're going dune surfing, try to go early in the morning or evening instead of midday when the sand is at its hottest.
- Bring snacks, sunscreen, sunglasses and plenty of water.
- When sand surfing, use flags or cones so you can be seen by UTVs and other surfers.
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